Police Release Footage of Man Who Went on Armed Robbery Spree that Included Astoria Rite Aid

Suspect (NYPD) and Crime Scene (QueensPost)

Nov. 27, 2018 By Christian Murray

The police have released video footage of a man who critically shot a Duane Reade employee in Woodside during a botched robbery yesterday, before going on to hold up three other stores in Queens at gun point.

The suspect began his crime spree at about 3:25 a.m. when he entered Duane Reade, located at 60-02 Roosevelt Ave, posing as a customer and asked to buy items from the counter. When the 49-year-old employee opened the cash register, the suspect displayed a firearm and demanded money.

The employee quickly shut the register—denying the suspect of cash– and was shot in the left hand. A struggle over possession of the firearm ensued and the employee was shot once in the face and was left in critical condition.

The suspect then fled empty handed and went over to the 7-Eleven at 50-92 Northern Blvd. in Woodside. The suspect, at around 3:55 a.m., posed as a customer and tried to buy items at the counter. When the employee opened the cash register, the man displayed a firearm and demanded money. The employee complied and the suspect then fled with cash.

At 4:15 a.m., the suspect went inside Rite Aid at 33-01 30th Ave. in Astoria where he posed as a customer yet again. When the employee opened the cash register, the suspect displayed a firearm and demanded money. The employee complied and gave him cash from register.

The suspect then targeted the Rite Aid store at 115-10 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica at about 4:40 a.m. He posed as a customer and when the employee opened the cash register he pulled out a gun and demanded money. The employee complied and the suspect left with cash.

The suspect is described as dark skinned, 17 to 25 years of age, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, medium build and was last seen wearing a black and green hooded jacket, blue jeans, black and white gloves and white sneakers.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782)

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A 24-year-old Brooklyn man who crashed his car on the BQE in 2017 and left a 25-year-old Astoria woman inside his burning vehicle to die was sentenced yesterday to four to 12 years in prison, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.